TRACK 7: INCLUSION

Planning responses to shifting demographic landscape; Vulnerable populations; Political, natural and anthropogenic triggers of migration

Chairs:

• Chandrima Mukhopadhyay, UN-Habitat India
• Ela Ataç Kavurmacı, TED University, Ankara
• Ersi Zafeiriou, Dresden Leibniz Graduate School (DLGS), Institute for Ecological Urban & Regional Development (IÖR), Environmental Studies, Technische Universität Dresden (TUD)

In a world buzzing with dynamic global challenges, rapid demographic shifts, and ongoing turmoil—especially for our most vulnerable populations—we stand at a pivotal moment that calls for bold and inclusive planning responses. This track invites you to unleash your insights and strategies for reimagining our planning approaches. The track, therefore, aims to explore alternative and innovative analytical and methodological tools, alongside fresh conceptual frameworks, to tackle the political, natural, and anthropogenic triggers of migration. At the heart of this discussion is a commitment to amplifying the voices of vulnerable and marginalized communities, ensuring they are front and center in shaping our future. On this basis, issues such as diversity, age, gender, disability, religion, identities including political, co-production of knowledge by the scholars from the Global South and East, heterogenous onto-epistemological positions, vulnerability, urban and regional inequalities, urban poverty, migration including climate- and politically driven ones, displacement driven by mega transport- and urban development-projects, corridor development projects are all central to the contemporary discourse on inclusion. The track defines “inclusivity” in a wider sense than that of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal 11.

The track is intended to cover a broad spectrum of contributions, such as urban planning policies and strategies, design approaches, theoretical reflections, ethical perspectives, philosophical positions, various forms of southern urbanism(s) including pluriversal urbanism, inclusivity reflected in planning education (e.g. decolonization), development of planning policies and interventions, analysis of current socio-spatial dynamics, consideration of heterogenous onto-epistemological positions, advancement in knowledge in fairness and just literature (e.g. climate justice), planning for migrant-ready cities, and broader reflections on inclusion and understanding the city and beyond.  

The track aims to encourage a dynamic exchange of ideas and experiences and welcomes abstracts on these topics of inclusion and planning.

Keywords: Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Integration, Multiculturalism, Minority Groups, Inclusive Cities, Pluriversal Urbanism, Vulnerable Populations, Urban and Regional Inequalities, Demographic Landscapes, Migration and Refugee Crisis, Heterogenous Onto-Epistemological Positions.